Neil Findlay

15 Mar 2021 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will adopt the Scottish mesh survivors charter.

9 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a reported rise in levels of dog theft, and what action owners can take to prevent dog theft.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government is dismayed by the reported rise in the theft of dogs and would encourage dog owners to report any concerns to Police Scotland, be extremely vigilant, ensure dogs are microchipped, and also report the loss/theft to the microchip databa…

8 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any proposed legislation to give Police Scotland additional powers to permit a person to commit a crime as part of their role as a covert human intelligence source (CHIS) will specifically exclude anyone under 18.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: As a result of the recent Court of Appeal judgement in regarding to Covert Human Intelligence Sources criminal conduct, the Scottish Government does not intend to bring forward emergency legislation. The Scottish Government have no plans to give Police Scotla…

8 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact assessment it has carried of whether the current covert human intelligence sources (CHIS) legislation is compatible with (a) the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, (b) the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and (c) other child protection guidance.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 provides the regulatory framework in respect of covert human intelligence sources. It was introduced by the Scottish Labour / Liberal Democrat coalition government and passed by the Scottish Parliamen…

8 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances it considers that Police Scotland should have the power to use a child as a covert source of intelligence, including where there are concerns that it might be against the interests of the child.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act, introduced by the Scottish Labour / Liberal Democrat coalition government in 2000, sets out the purposes for which a covert human intelligence source may be authorised. The Regulation of Investigatory Po…

8 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that levels of child criminal exploitation are increasing, what its response is to concerns that the current covert human intelligence sources (CHIS) legislation is not compatible with the state’s responsibility to protect children from such exploitation.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government are currently considering the compatibility of current legislation with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.  

8 Mar 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the pardoning of miners convicted of offences relating to the strike in 1984-85.

8 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to end the reported high death rate among homeless people.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Each one of these deaths is a tragedy. We are committed to ending homelessness once and for all and the recently published statistics on homeless deaths, while experimental, will help us further understand the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessne…

5 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-35332 by Jeane Freeman on 5 March 2021, whether it will be possible for doctors, surgeons and services from outside the UK and EU to bid for these mesh removal services.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: As stated in response to S5W-35332 persons and centres in the UK and overseas may submit a tender. To add further clarity, I can confirm that bids from overseas providers are not restricted to those based within the EU.

4 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with the (a) energy, (b) house building, (c) environment and (d) community sectors regarding the national developments to be incorporated in the National Planning Framework 4.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: No decisions have been made on the national developments that may be included in the draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) this autumn and we have not proactively organised meetings with these sectors to discuss national developments. Suggestions for na…

4 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask Scottish Government what plans it has to meet communities that might be affected by the national developments that will be incorporated in the National Planning Framework 4.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Our programme for engagement is clear that we will consider how best to support communities which may be impacted by a national development proposal. We will follow this up by setting out our approach to engagement in a Participation Statement for National Pl…

1 Mar 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action it is taking to tackle littering.

1 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what actions are available to Police Scotland when a person or organisation deliberately withholds materials that are subject to a search warrant.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: This is an operational matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland. Police Scotland have advised that it is dependent on the terms of a warrant as to whether failure to provide anything may be considered criminal and in any case the circumstances would…

25 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether a failure to record meetings with lobbyists and/or companies in a minister's diary is a breach of sections 4.22 to 4.25 of the Scottish Ministerial Code.

Answer · Michael Russell: As set out in paragraph 10.18 of the Scottish Ministerial Code, a monthly list of engagements carried out by all Ministers is published three months in arrears. Detailed arrangements for recording contacts with external organisations and individuals, includin…

24 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many removal of transobturator meshes with the bilateral groin incision approach procedures were performed (a) prior to and (b) since 1 May 2019; how many surgeons took part, broken down by the number of procedures each performed; what information it has regarding who trained the sur…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The information requested is not collected or held by the Scottish Government. With regard to skills acquisition, accreditation and monitoring of surgeons’ skills and performing such procedures, I would draw your attention to the Chief Medical Officer’s subm…

22 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what priority will be given to university staff in the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We are adhering to the priority list devised by the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) who have advised an age-based programme will capture those with clinical risk factors as the risk of death is very strongly linked with age, more so tha…

22 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will fund surgeons seeking to train abroad to learn new mesh removal techniques.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: In the case of established consultants, any decision to allow a doctor to undertake a period of additional training abroad is made by the Health Board as the employer and would be based on patient and service need. This is standard practice across NHS Scotla…

22 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the COVID-19 infection rate has been each month across the prison estate, and when it plans to have vaccinated all (a) prison staff and (b) prisoners.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has provided regular updates on the number of prisoners who have tested positive with Covid-19 throughout the pandemic. As this information relates to the number of active positive cases within prisons on a given day, rather …

18 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been claimed from the mesh-injured women’s fund, and how much remains.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35332 on 5 March 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2…

18 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what pans it has to allocate any unclaimed balance from the mesh-injured women’s fund, and what its position is on using this to establish a funding stream to pay the costs incurred by women seeking to be treated abroad by internationally-recognised mesh surgeons.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-29926 on 16 June 2020, The Scottish Government has made £1 million available for the mesh fund. Over 400 applications have been received to date. Payments totalling just under £397,000 have been made so far, wi…

18 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the NHS will refund mesh-injured women who have used life savings or have borrowed money to fund removal abroad by internationally-recognised mesh surgeons.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: In line with a commitment I gave previously, Scottish Government officials have investigated whether there exists appropriate statutory authority to refund patients who have arranged and received treatment privately, and not through a referral from an NHS Boa…

18 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made with the NHS paying mesh-injured women seeking to be treated abroad by internationally-recognised mesh surgeons.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35332 on 5 March 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2…

16 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the WAVE Trust's campaign to reduce the number of children and young people who have been subjected to abuse, or who have witnessed domestic violence, by 70% by 2030 and, if so, (a) how many of the campaign’s policies it will introduce and (b) whether it will take any…

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government agrees with the WAVE Trust that it is imperative to reduce the number of children and young people who have been subjected to abuse, or who have witnessed domestic violence. The safety and wellbeing of Scotland’s children is an utmost …

16 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of its budget will be used to address issues impacting on children and young people who have (a) been subjected to abuse and (b) witnessed domestic violence.

Answer · Maree Todd: The safety of children is always paramount, and our children and young people have the right to be protected from all forms of harm. The Scottish Government budget for 2021-22 includes £2.066m specifically for Child Protection. This funding will allow the Sco…

16 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address self-harm among children and young people.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government’s Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan sets out a number of actions to support children and young people’s mental health, including a specific action to improve our understanding of the prevalence of self-harm which will guide ou…

15 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) to be the appropriate body to lead the investigation into care home deaths; what the human right implications are of COPFS having this role; what its response is to concerns that there might be a conflict of inte…

Answer · James Wolffe QC: As Lord Advocate, I am head of the system for the investigation of deaths in Scotland, as well as of the system of criminal prosecution. I am, accordingly, constitutionally responsible for the investigation of sudden, unexpected, and unexplained deaths in Sco…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service will commit to all the recommendations in the TUC’s Dying to Work campaign, in line with the ministerial agreement on fair work.

Answer · James Wolffe QC: COPFS has recently published an internal ‘Life Limiting Illness Support Guidance’, which was developed in consultation with the Service’s Trade Union representatives; this provides an overview of the support which the Service provides to its employees with li…

8 Feb 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to take Scotland's railways back into public ownership.

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people aged under 18 have been held in a Young Offenders Institution in each month since January 2020; how many of these (a) were on remand and (b) had not been found guilty of an offence, and what efforts were made to find alternative provision for them.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) publishes population data on our website on a weekly basis. This report provides information…

5 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether workplace testing for COVID-19 is taking place at the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service, given that staff are working in the Sheriff and Supreme courts and are in contact with members of the public, and what the reasons are for its position is on the matter. 

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Testing is available in Scotland for anyone with COVID symptoms. As the First Minister announced in her statement of 2 February, we are introducing an enhanced asymptomatic testing programme to break chains of transmission, support the safe return of essenti…